


Same Place but Different Figures

by GwiYeoWeo



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, DotF referenced, Gen, Scientist!Noctis, and just a liiiiitle unhinged, another god-killing spree, like 30percent tired 70percent spite, noctis is tired of ardyn's bs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 02:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28699014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GwiYeoWeo/pseuds/GwiYeoWeo
Summary: Still, the grand culprit, Noctis reminds himself, is not Ardyn.It’s the overgrown lizard hiding behind the protection of the Crystal.Noctis can’t waste time like this. He has to figure out how to break open that hunk of rock or draw out Bahamut before Niflheim invades Lucis under the guise of a ceasefire. More importantly, he has to devise a way to even kill Bahamut. He has no covenants on his side, not even any Royal Arms. He could, maybe, try to talk Aldercapt into tomb-raiding, but that’s a far-fetched idea at this point. Ardyn, though, could probably require less convincing, but of course this is Ardyn he’s thinking of.It's the nth time he's gone back to try and circumvent his prophesized demise; this time, Noctis decides on an unconventional approach. (Past him would have rather died than work with Niflheim, but he knows better now.)
Relationships: Ardyn Izunia & Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 3
Kudos: 50





	Same Place but Different Figures

**Author's Note:**

> yeehaw

If his father knew — if he  _ really _ knew, would he weep? Would he weep knowing that his precious son was alive, shedding tears of joy that his one and only child still walked this world? 

Or would he weep out of loss and heartache, knowing that his own son turned his back on not only his father and king but against the gods themselves?

Noctis can’t really afford the luxury to think about it. He has more important things at hand, finishing and running Besithia’s stupid side experiments so he can get back to his own works before the old mad scientist starts snooping around his corner of the laboratory. He’s getting annoyed by that slimy feeling running down his neck whenever Besithia gives him the ol’ hawk-like gaze, basically drilling a hole in the back of his head when he thinks Noctis isn’t looking. 

It’s odd, he knows, for the lost prince of an enemy nation to be so compliant as a prisoner of war. Even odder, that he willingly works for Niflheim and offers his own research and efforts into whatever god-killing, wall-breaking, daemon-fueled war machines they cook up. 

Aldercapt’s missing a few screws in the logic and common sense category, so he doesn’t give a damn so long as the Crystal’s not involved; his advisors are all spineless cowards, so whatever well-founded doubts they have on Noctis don’t ever make it past their silent thoughts. Caligo’s a damn loyalist to the bone, and his opinions are basically lumped in together with the Emperor. Loki’s nothing more than a buzzing mosquito — annoying but ultimately of no issue — so whatever.

The only real threat is, as always, Ardyn. He's a schemer, a snake, a real slimeball. Regardless of whether he knows the truth or not. And if he does, he's being a real pain in the ass about it. 

This isn't Noctis' first rodeo — hell, he's lost count after the fifth time he's cheated his way out of the prophecy. The first time wasn't even his idea: Ignis somehow found a loophole and the rest of the ride-or-die gang followed suit. But of course things could never be that easy, and Noctis tried all the roads less traveled and beaten paths and less-than-savory options to see if he could beat Bahamut at his own game. When Luna got zombified and turned into a pawn, leading to the truth of Bahamut's scheme, well, that only fueled Noctis' motivations with an extra helping of spite. 

Noctis became real sick of playing nice, so here he is. Working with the enemy. 

But that's just how it is, isn't it? The enemy of an enemy is a friend and all that. 

Except Ardyn isn't giving much help and keeps skirting around the problem, to the point where Noctis can't make heads or tails of all the "hints" the man keeps dropping. One day Ardyn's making all these callbacks to events and shenanigans that haven't even happened in this lifetime yet, then turning around and acting all innocent like "Oh, did I say that? How curious of me" in that stupid, low drawl of his that makes Noctis' skin crawl. 

Ardyn shouldn't remember; at least, that's what Noctis believes, but he’s not going to give Ardyn the satisfaction by caving first. There's no guide or rulebook about this sort of thing, and if the gods were just starting to feel magnanimous toward his plight, they certainly aren't going to give him any pointers this go round. 

Noctis is trying to kill them, after all. Going against everything that he was first raised to believe, like walking the path of a noble king who's pious before the gods and his ancestors. 

Fucking hilarious. 

Maybe, deep down inside, he's still angry at his father. Angry at the world. For keeping his  _ glorious _ destiny a secret from him, letting him believe that the path of the Chosen King was some amazing privilege that promised him a happy ending. Maybe he's just having a phase and lashing out in a tantrum, now that he isn't honor bound or duty-laden to be this righteous hero the world expects him to be. Maybe he's turning into Ardyn 2.0 and going a little crazy himself. He wouldn't put it past Bahamut to have a  _ third  _ Chosen King as some contingency plan. 

Selfish of Noctis to just throw it all to the wind, sure. But what did that get him the first dozen or so times he's tried playing the good prince? A dozen or so bad endings that he and Luna — and yeah, even Ardyn — didn't deserve. 

“Lost in thought, little prince?” 

Noctis doesn’t flinch, even if the unwelcomed voice surprises him. Ardyn has a knack for creeping in all silently and unannounced, like a gross little rat, but Noctis has grown desensitized to it by now. He considers Ardyn enough to at least hum something noncommittal while he corrals the imps back into their corner of the cage, ignoring the way they hiss and skitter at him. Probably Ardyn’s fault, as most things tend to be. Starscourge presence and all that. 

Regardless of what his deal is, Ardyn is content to just quietly linger while Noctis does his thing, like some creepy ghost that has nothing better to do than haunt whatever it fancies. Noctis has just the slightest urge to flip a switch and point a UV lamp at Ardyn just to be a jerk and get a reaction out of him, but he figures that would be too mean even for him. 

The temptation, mercifully, goes as quickly as it came, and Noctis plops himself down into his chair, slumping like an undignified brat, and swivels around to regard Ardyn with a bored look.

“What do you want, Chancellor?” 

“Oh come now, Noctis. I believe we’ve known each other long enough to skip formalities.” Ardyn steps a little too close into Noctis’ personal space, going as far as to lean down and in enough for Noctis to smell his awful old man cologne. 

That doesn’t irk him so much as Ardyn dropping his subtle references though, because oh yes, they certainly know each other long enough to skip titles and pleasantries. Long enough for Noctis to chase him down the carriages of a train and call him a son of a bitch, even. 

But does Ardyn know that? Does he remember after all those lifetimes ago? Or is he just referring to Noctis’ time here in Niflheim? 

Noctis wants to take the bait, just to toss it all into the air and let Ardyn have this win. But after all these losses and grievances against him, he also wants at  _ least _ this under his belt. Sure, it’s dumb pride and bullheaded stubbornness at this point that’s more trouble than it’s all really worth, but Noctis thinks he’s still got a bit of determination left to go, if all the attempts he’s done are anything to go by. 

“If you’re just here to talk,  _ Chancellor, _ go to Dr. Besithia. He’s always in the mood for his mad scientist rants. I don’t really have time to chat since he’s making me do some of his grunt work until I get approval for my own lab.”

Ardyn isn’t discouraged, and that sleazy grin of his makes Noctis wonder what kind of underhanded scheme he’s thinking of. 

“Oh, then I suppose you don’t care for the good tidings I so very wanted to bring you.”

Noctis eyes him with nothing short of suspicion, knowing Ardyn’s definition of good tidings can be very subjective. “Fine, I’ll bite. What’s the good news?” he sighs, sitting up to at least steel himself for some bad news instead. 

“As you know, being Chancellor of this fine empire makes me a very busy man—”

Noctis bites his inner cheek instead of calling bullshit on that. He’s personally seen him slink off to just nap or muck around and watch cat videos, and no one really has the guts to call him out on it, especially since the Emperor doesn’t care. How Ardyn got his claws in so deep on that one is a mystery, honestly.

“—and I sit down at my desk, weary from a long day’s work, just to see that—”

Ardyn’s flowery words go in one of Noctis’ ears and out the other. Noctis has plenty of practice of just… selectively muting people, such as when Ignis goes into mom mode or Gladio when he gets in a mood. Noctis carefully navigates away from nostalgia and bittersweet memories before he falls too deep, though Ardyn’s droning keeps him at least slightly grounded. Or maybe he really is falling asleep, because he already feels himself nodding off to Ardyn going on a tangent about yesterday’s lunch or whatnot.

“— but after much pains, I personally approved your transfer to your own little facility. Aren’t I such a gracious Chancellor?”

_ That _ wakes Noctis up, and he discreetly makes sure there isn’t drool dribbling down the corner of his mouth when he returns to reality. Did he hear that right? There has to be some kind of catch, some implication of an IOU under it all. Ardyn isn’t as gracious as he claims to be; both of them know it.

“And what do you get out of this?” Noctis asks, trying not to sound too interested. If Ardyn knows how invested Noctis really is in getting a private lab, he’ll probably use it as leverage against him, and Noctis doesn’t need another petty obstacle in his way. 

“Consider this a gift,” Ardyn says, succinct this time and to the point, “from one colleague to another.” He seals it with a flourish of his arms and a deep bow at the waist, the practiced motions of it giving the impression of insincerity and sarcasm. Perhaps, to one who knows little of Ardyn, the gesture might seem genuine. 

But all Noctis can see are the twisted, backhanded experiences he’s endured at Ardyn’s very motions. Neither do his words bring any comfort. They’re hardly colleagues. Their difference in rank, for one thing, separates them, let alone the destined enmity between their deeper roles in this world. The very meaning — or lack, thereof — behind his words only drives the wedge of suspicion that much further. It could simply be irony that Ardyn speaks with, or perhaps he’s paying homage in mockery to the truth behind their lives. 

Or maybe, he  _ knows. _ He knows that Noctis has been trying to cheat Bahamut at his own game, and of the many lifetimes he’s attempted thus far. Ardyn must share the disdain toward Bahamut, and would no doubt relish in the god’s downfall. 

But that does not make him an ally. For all Noctis knows, Ardyn could be so far gone that he doesn’t care for things like revenge or justice. He could just want to see the world burn, and Noctis isn’t desperate enough to just blindly trust someone so precarious. 

Ardyn sashays out before Noctis can mumble his thanks, mysteriously leaving the room colder than it was before. Or it could be the creeping dread of doubt prickling his skin. If only Ardyn wasn’t involved in any of this, things would no doubt be simpler. Then again, none of this would probably be happening if the Cursed King was anyone but him. Still, the grand culprit, Noctis reminds himself, is not Ardyn.

It’s the overgrown lizard hiding behind the protection of the Crystal.

Noctis can’t waste time like this. He has to figure out how to break open that hunk of rock or draw out Bahamut before Niflheim invades Lucis under the guise of a ceasefire. More importantly, he has to devise a way to even kill Bahamut. He has no covenants on his side, not even any Royal Arms. He could, maybe, try to talk Aldercapt into tomb-raiding, but that’s a far-fetched idea at this point. Ardyn, though, could probably require less convincing, but of course this is  _ Ardyn _ he’s thinking of. 

That’s a bridge he’ll cross when he comes to it. Right now, he has to plan out a new lab and the necessary equipment for it.

He has to teach Niflheim how to properly kill the god of war, after all. 


End file.
